Mali: the underside of the expulsion of the French ambassador

The French ambassador to Mali, Joël Meyer, on January 21, 2022 (Illustration image).

AFP - NICOLAS REMENE

Text by: David Baché

2 mins

In Mali, what exactly does Choguel Maïga accuse the French ambassador of?

Joël Meyer was expelled from Mali at the end of January.

Bamako then denounced the “ 

outrageous

 ” remarks of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves le Drian who had again qualified as “ 

illegitimate

 ” the transitional authorities, resulting from two coups d'etat.

Remarks deemed " 

outrageous

 " by Bamako who had therefore ordered the French ambassador to leave Mali within 72 hours.

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Tuesday, on our antenna, Prime Minister Choguel Maïga went further, accusing for the first time Joël Meyer of “ 

having engaged in subversive activities

 ” and of having “

prepared a plan to overthrow the government.

What do these serious accusations refer to?

The Malian Prime Minister gave no details on the "plan" that the French ambassador would have " 

prepared

 " to overthrow his government.

Despite requests for clarification from RFI.

Secret Meetings

 "

But a relative of Choguel Maïga affirms that Joël Meyer led " 

secret meetings

 " with opponents and that he was above all " 

in collusion with Malian soldiers

 " to " 

overthrow power

 ".

There have been arrests

”, “ 

we have proof

 ”, assures this source, who explains that he cannot specify the identity of those arrested, nor present the proof in question because “

an investigation is in progress

 ”.

►Also read

: Mali: the French ambassador ordered by the authorities to leave the country within 72 hours

On the French side, a diplomatic source refutes these accusations, which are described as an “

invention

” intended to fuel “a

policy of rupture with France and the West

 ”.

If this source recognizes that politicians and members of civil society who do not share the government line have indeed been invited to the embassy, ​​it ensures that these meetings are part of a "

normal

" diplomatic activity.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Choguel Maïga was himself in the opposition,

recalls this source

, and he was received at the embassy.

 »

“ 

No

persona non grata”

And to specify that during the convocation of the ambassador by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdoulaye Diop, the day of the announcement of his expulsion, this supposed plan would not have been mentioned at any time.

Subsequently, on RFI, Abdoulaye Diop even affirmed that Joël Meyer was " 

not

persona non grata" in Mali and that he could return there as soon as France had clarified its position on the legitimacy of the Malian transitional authorities. .

Which does not seem, in any case, not relevant.

Last October, it was the ECOWAS ambassador to Mali, Hamidou Boly, who was expelled for "

actions incompatible with his status

 ".

At the time, the Burkinabè diplomat had already been criticized for meetings with opposition parties, civil society or the press undertaking "

activities hostile to the transition

 ", in the words of the head of Malian diplomacy Abdoulaye Diop.

►Also read: Expulsion of the French ambassador to Mali: has the peak of tensions been reached?

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